Fifty Shades of Grey

Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy

By: E. L. James

Narrated by: Becca Battoe

Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

More than 150 million copies sold worldwide.

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success - his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family - Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

This audiobook is intended for mature audiences.

Look for E L James’ passionate new love story, The Mister, coming April 16, 2019.

©2011 E L James (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

• Finalist, GoodReads Choice Awards, Best Romance

narration

I like the narration on the 1st version better. It seems more charming.

Like an addiction

OMG...I have NEVER had a reaction to a story like I have with this one!

I have never wanted to listen so intently or continously to many books, like I have to these 4 books.

Surprisingly this story is very satisfying and addictive. Mrs. James is an extraordinary writer.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL OF THESE BOOKS.

Definitely opens your mind up to possibilities

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to a friend.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fifty Shades of Grey?

It was hard for me to listen to all of the "oh my" responses.

What about Becca Battoe???s performance did you like?

She does have a young sounding voice but this did not bother me.

Great book but...

I’ve read this book and seen the movie. The narrator of this is annoying...she needs to not follow this career path...

Becca Battoe is annoying

I want to get the other two books, but I really cannot tolerate Becca Battoe. She is so utterly annoying.

Loved this series.

This book has a very diffrent story line than most books I read. Everyone is talking about how naughty the love scenes are, but I listen to alot of romance. Although the love making is diffrent, not so crazy as everyone says. This couple makes me think of Bella and Edward in the Twilight series. As far as the love connection. I love this series, and really liked the narrator.

Oddly fun

It's very odd and mature. Uses very advanced language. It was fun listening to this.

it's not that bad.

Where does Fifty Shades of Grey rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

this was a book that caused an escape. much like desperate housewives or back-in-the-day, Dallas or Knots Landing. it's just a soap-opera type book. don't go thinking you're going to raise your IQ fifty points by listening to this book. i enjoyed it thoroughly and found myself looking forward to listening to it and was excited for book two.

Who was your favorite character and why?

i enjoyed getting to know them both.

What does Becca Battoe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

after they changed the tone/bass/whatever, i thought it was better. not as high-pitched. the fact remains, that Ana is a YOUNG GIRL of twenty-two, so of course she's going to have a youthful sounding voice. i don't understand why everyone's so quick to throw Becca under the bus for giving her a sound that fits the characters age. i thought she was fine.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

no real extreme reactions other than all the reviews from everyone else. my goodness. they're so harsh. i think people forget that this is a "fluff and nonsense" book that's supposed to be a fun escape, at least it was for me.

Any additional comments?

i've been married for 18 years and have had one partner my entire life. ONE. so i felt very connected to Ana simply because of my own life. i was married at 22 and had children fairly quickly into our marriage. i loved so many parts of the book(s) and was sad to see them end.

not everyone will love this book but i think we "girls" want to be wanted and need to be desired. lighten up a little. take a breather. this book is fun and erotic and well, totally sexy.

Oh My. Oh Puke.

Would you try another book from E. L. James and/or Becca Battoe?

I should have read it myself. The audio was horrible. At least if I read it I wouldn't have made the Oh My's and the ooooooo Christian Greys so sickeningly..... I can't even think of a word that to describe the fingernails on chalkboard feeling I got listening to this audio. I can usually put aside issues with listening to a bad reading, but not this time. Blaaahhhh!

Would you ever listen to anything by E. L. James again?

Not sure

What didn’t you like about Becca Battoe’s performance?

NO

Was Fifty Shades of Grey worth the listening time?

Not at all.

Worst. Performance. EVER!!!

What did you like best about Fifty Shades of Grey? What did you like least?

Let's not pretend that this is fine literature. It's a fun, smutty diversion, but it is that.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Different reader would have helped!

What didn’t you like about Becca Battoe’s performance?

Battoe made the lead character sound like a vapid Valley Girl. And when she changed her voice for different characters, she was simply ridiculous -- like the local librarian who puts on a silly voice to read the part of "Mr. Toad" to local children. She makes one of the characters, who happens to have a Latino surname, sound like Speedy Gonzales.But it is her performance of the lead character that is the most egregious. Absolutely appalling. So inappropriate for the character that she takes you out of the story completely.

Any additional comments?

Somebody MUST rerecord this! And, here's an idea: why not have an actual man read the men's quotes, so that it is slightly less ridiculous?